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Q and A
updated: Nov 25, 2009, 6:31 AM

Do you think it is safe for the public to remove graffiti in Santa Barbara? On a scale of 1 to 5, 1 being totally safe (go ahead and remove it), and 5 being not safe at all (and you shouldn't do it), please give your opinion. If you do already remove graffiti, please give your experiences.

Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

COMMENT 47029	2009-11-25 08:17 AM
Depends on where it is: if it is on your property, clearly it is safe and within your rights. If it is on someone else's property, you're trespassing. If it is on public property, again, depends on where it is: if it's on the 101, you might get run over so it is not safe. ...I have removed graffiti on a fence in front of my house; I did not do it from a neighbor's property. How can you rate anything like this 1-5!!!
COMMENT 47039	2009-11-25 08:51 AM
Not if the gang-banger is standing nearby admiring his "art" with a loaded Glock in the waistband of his low-riding baggy shorts!
COMMENT 47044	2009-11-25 09:10 AM
I remove it wherever it is...because no one ever cleans it up. I have removed it off public property mostly. I haven't seen any tagging on private property in my neighborhood. I asked my friend(who is a cop) about removing or painting over tagging on public property and he said the cops wouldn't care if they saw me out there. He said they might even thank me(but probably not in SB, lol).
COMMENT 47045	2009-11-25 09:16 AM
Re: comment 47039 A little prejudiced? A large portion of graffiti is created by bored urban or suburban teenagers who are as white as the driven snow and definitely not gang-bangers. Has anyone ever read anywhere of an instance of violence against someone removing graffiti? It may happen, but I've never heard read of it, so it must be extremely rare in the US, let alone SB. Follow the wisdom of comment 47029 without fear of some 13-year-old scrawny white kid getting mad at you.
COMMENT 47056	2009-11-25 10:13 AM
I've been painting over graffitti in the South Turnpike area for over 15 years and the only thing that has been done or said to me is:"thank you!".
COMMENT 47067	2009-11-25 10:46 AM
Again, come on folks.... Is this something we need to beat to death? The city will give you a free kit to remove it. Just google it. We got one, maybe you should too. http://www.lmgtfy.com/?q=santa+barbara+graffiti+abatement
PUENTE	2009-11-25 10:58 AM
The county does not remove graffiti in Noleta. Maybe the City of Santa Barbara should step up and send their graffiti removal truck to remove graffiti brought to the area of San Marcos High School, by Westside gang members. After all, the city of Santa Barbara sends many of its students to SMHS, but does nothing to help with the aftermath. Oh, yes, many are removing graffiti in the City, because the City can't/won't keep up. Free "kits" don't prevent graffiti, it simply provides a tool for the citizens to remove graffiti. The problem of graffiti is worse that one year ago, and getting much worse. It's graffiti, no matter if it is gang graffiti or taggers who are mostly white and many are working with gangs to deliver drugs. Tagging is not just annoying, it is dangerous.
COMMENT 47077	2009-11-25 11:36 AM
Er... YES. Is it safe for them to tag my fence again? HELL NO
COMMENT 47085	2009-11-25 12:59 PM
When I was younger (over ten years ago) my mom didn't like the tagging on the street side of the 101 fence near the now In N Out burger. Since we lived in that area she parked the car a block away and out of immediate sight (just in case). The only person that said anything was a deputy who came to investigate why we were painting the fence. She was shocked and happy that we were covering the graffitti. Look into the "Broken Windows" theory, it's quite interesting and very revelant to all these posts.
COMMENT 47086	2009-11-25 01:11 PM
another option is to add a little note below, like-- "iz stoopid", "has hemorrhoids", "wets the bed", and you can think of more
COMMENT 47090	2009-11-25 01:50 PM
The city wont remove any tagging on 192/foothill in the city limits either. "That is caltrans jurisdiction." someone from the city told me after 1 month of me emailing and calling the graffiti abatement program to get some tagging removed. Since then, I have just not bothered with the city(worthless) and just taken matters into my own hands.
COMMENT 47101	2009-11-25 03:14 PM
47045 - a Valinda man and a Pico Rivera woman were both shot and killed when confronting graffiti vandals in 2006 and 2007. You can search on google. Best to keep a low profile when removing graffiti.
COMMENT 47104	2009-11-25 03:51 PM
Like many things involving gangs how you look is part of the equation, if you are young and brownish you may be perceived as disrespecting "his" wall but if you are kinda whitebread and older you can get away with it easier. I am semi young and sorta brownish and When I listen to white liberals talk about gangs it is obvious they live in a different world.
COMMENT 47111	2009-11-25 04:54 PM
Word!
LUCKY 777	2009-11-26 07:04 AM
My favorite is the idea of adding "is a poopy head" and "wets the bed" underneath the "signatures." They are just adding scrawl like people do in bathroom stalls, so why not make it the identification of stupidity that it IS! Of course, despite all the people who seem so committed here to saying it is racist to KNOW this is being done by Hispanic gang members, I'm not buying that. I say we start adding the tags "es una cabeza de mierda" and "moja la cama" underneath tags.
PUENTE	2009-11-26 09:07 AM
More whites than hispanics are convicted of graffiti vandalism in Santa Barbara County. There are many volunteers removing graffiti. It is work. It is dangerous. It is frustrating. Please don't write any more graffiti next to the original graffiti, unless YOU are willing to remove all of it.
COMMENT 47172	2009-11-26 09:49 AM
I would just like to take advantage of this attention getting venue to mention there is a war on and people are dying. Please save some of your concern and energy for that issue.
BOOKLADY	2009-11-26 10:04 AM
Re: Taggers Not all the taggers are Hispanic or gang bangers. My neighbor’s very white young surfer son and a group of his very white surfer friends were busted for tagging. They see their graffiti as art. (It is very colorful…not my idea of art, but better than just initials or worse.) The parents gave them a place where they could do their “art” and it seems to have taken care of the “tagging” problem. I think this could work for other kids who are just tagging for the heck of it. Obviously, it will not work for the gang bangers. They have a different purpose in their tagging…kind of like dogs marking their territory. Re: Safety of Removal As long as you aren’t doing the removal in front of a group of gang members, it should be perfectly safe. They may do it again, but they won’t come looking for you because you removed their tag.
PROGRESS	2009-11-26 10:47 AM
Interesting, isn't it, how you can justify endangering others' lives because of the importance you attach to your personal phone calls.
ROGER DODGER	2009-11-26 12:12 PM
I heard of a major graffiti hit on the West side last night around San Andreas, the walking bridge black spray paint if anyone notices it can you lettuce know Thank You.
COMMENT 47212	2009-11-26 04:43 PM
I am too old and far away to get involved, but for many years I was very involved. I started the first Graffiti Busters Program and also worked with the state to implement the Neighborhood watch program in our areas. In a way, the two entities worked together in concept. For me , it was very simple as I loved organizing good community efforts. That means stimulating people to want to get involved, then set up the proper procedures to follow. To poster 47136, I assume you add racism to any post you get into. And you actually wrote this on a day of Thanksgiving. Words cannot express my disgust at you. I held many seminars in neighborhoods , in conjunction with th SBCounty Sherrif's Dept liason, explaining the Neighborhood Watch concept. I was also asked to present this to a tri-county sherriff's meeting for other areas. This was during Deukmajeons (spelling) term of office . I was also deeply involved with Goleta Beautiful at the time.I think we were moving the depot then, so concerned people knew how to get in touch with me with "problems". I never had answers right off to concerns, but would work out solutions. I was a squeaky wheel" so to speak. To be an effective squeaky wheel, one must not be combative, but have constructive ideas and willing people to implement them, then go to the proper authorities to make sure procedures are followed within the law. Good PR was also essential to this. If you feel you just want to paint it over yourself, first t... [ more ]
COMMENT 47231	2009-11-26 09:07 PM
Someone needs to provide proof that most of the tagging is done by bored white boys. Evidence in news reports, and the language or "code" of the graffiti point to the fact that most tagging is done by hispanics. C'mon folks, a couple anecdotal stories about bored, blond kids caught tagging does not mean that most of that type of vandalism is due to the antics of white youth.
COMMENT 47244	2009-11-27 12:21 AM
How did I get involved in community efforts? (which I mentioned in post 47212.) Now I will refer to the last poster 47231 who wrote "someone needs to" So who is this someone you expect to DO something. For years I listened to neighbors, coffee clutchers, people in the grocery stores, you name it, complain, complain, complain.Any subject, weeds, water, graffiti,kids trashing places, etc. And everyone said SOMEONE has to do something. Mention that a white blond youth might also be a troublemaker, and the complainers acted just like 47231. The we and them theory. Or NIMBY . You, 47231, are selectively using news reports to your way of thinking. So, find your proof and then get involved to make changes in your community. Talking without positive actions only exerbates a problem. Get off your comfy seat and be a SOMEONE who does something.Work with people of all colors and walks of life to make a difference in your community. My own blond kids were not bored, as they stayed active in school and sports and my involvement may sometimes embarrassed them,but they were proud that their mom made a difference.
PUENTE	2009-11-27 09:13 AM
It's a great idea to focus on the real problem with graffiti, and that is drug distribution and sales. Although gangs have the connections, it is not just hispanics involved in graffiti or drugs. And, let's not roll over into the other direction and start blaming blonds. Skin and hair (or no hair) is not the question. It's about drugs. To get distracted by the look of someone is not productive. If we are working together to rid our community of violence and graffiti vandalism, we need to look at the whole picture of what's driving this. Thank you Edhatters for all the good information. We are all better educated because of your positive and informational posts. Keep 'em coming. Bravo, Edhat!
RURALWANNABE	2009-11-28 03:54 AM
Seems there is two types of graffiti: tagging and art. Some graffiti is just an artistic depiction of a word or two. All I know about it is if there were some marring an area I frequented, I would report it, and remove it. One other thing I know, a son of a friend who considered it an art form, used to get hired to decorate for huge illegal outdoor drug gatherings. At age 19, he was locked away with a police record that will haunt him for life and prevent him from getting a job or be in the military - and all he did was write on stuff. Yes, I hate graffiti, but that punishment was criminal. Kid didn't hurt a person, just property. Did less to harm society than any white collar criminal.
RURALWANNABE	2009-11-28 03:54 AM
And he was white.
RURALWANNABE	2009-11-28 03:56 AM
Thanks to those who take it upon themselves to remove it (and aren't racist).
PUENTE	2009-11-28 01:59 PM
You can graffiti your own property. You can also call it art, if you wish, as long as it is your own property. I guess parents, priests, counselors and educators, and neighbors, and friends, need to educate those who are thinking about committing crimes, including graffiti. There is punishment for crime. If you are prepared to commit the crime, be prepared to do the time. If you graffiti/tag/mar/deface someone else's property (without permission), it is a crime. A person who throws the contents of a can of chicken noodle soup at a wall may call it art. That doesn't make it so to others. If it's not your wall, it's vandalism, and against the law. __All__ communities are sick of graffiti, and people are organizing against it, and will want the full force of the law applied to stop it.
ROGER DODGER	2009-11-28 07:48 PM
"The full force of the law applied to stop it" Hey stop it! Your scareing me I'll quit using sidewalk chalk on my neighbors walls.

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